Title: SELF FULFILLING PROPHECY
1SELF FULFILLING PROPHECY
- We become what people expect us to become
- and so a negative belief predicts a negative
behaviour - If a teacher thinks you will fail in an exam you
probably will!
2You must be able to describe and evaluate both
Social Learning Theory and Self fulfilling
Prophecy.
3Is this true of you?
- Mondays child is fair of face,Tuesdays child is
full of grace,Wednesdays child is full of
woe,Thursdays child has far to go,Fridays child
is loving and giving,Saturdays child works hard
for his living,And the child that is born on the
Sabbath dayIs bonny and blithe, and good and gay.
4According to Jahoda (1954)
- Males born on Wednesday had a significantly
higher arrest rate (22) than males born on
Monday (6)
5Labelling
6In pairs list some labels that we have been given
(in terms of criminal activity) and discuss what
affect this may have on them.
7- The affect of labels/labelling
- Labels can affect an individuals self concept
(how we see ourselves) and lead to SFP. - Labels can affect the way others treat you and
may lead to SFP - Society may label people according to the way
others treat you and this may lead to SFP.
8Self Fulfilling Prophecy
9WE TEND TO LIVE UP TO THE LABEL WE ARE GIVEN
- Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968) studied
self-fulfilling prophecy in a classroom
Pygmalion in the classroom. Teachers were allowed
to overhear a conversation at the beginning of
the year that identified 20 children in the class
as late developers about to spurt. The
teachers believed this was based on an IQ test
done, but it was random. At the end of the year,
those 20 children did indeed have improved IQ
scores, and continued to for 2 years. - The prophecy came true because the teachers
responded differently to them (more feedback
etc).
What are the moral and ethical issues here?
10Snyder et al. (1977)
- Found that when male participants we told to get
acquainted with a female assistant on the phone,
what they were told about her affected the
treatment of her, despite never having met. Some
were told she was attractive, others were told
she was not. - When the male participant believed the female was
attractive, he was more friendly and sociable
towards her. - When he told she was not, the males responded in
an aloof manner. - This demonstrated that their treatment of the
women was self-fulfilling, because when they were
responded to with friendliness, they were then
more friendly back..
11Exam question
- What is meant by the term Self fulfilling
prophecy? (4 marks)
12Remember the rules for Applying a theory
(DOA)DefineSFP explaining WHY PEOPLE TURN TO
CRIME
- A form of labelling.
- Based on the idea that an observers beliefs of
expectations about a person or group influence
their social interactions, and therefore elicits
or creates the expected behaviour. (Merton,
1948). - A form of stereotyping
- The observers beliefs are based on their schemas
or stereotypes relating to that group or
individual - They will tend more to notice, and even seek
behaviour that conforms to their expectations,
and ignore that which doesnt.This then acts as
reinforcement of their opinion. (Selective social
interaction).
13OutlineWhat exactly is SFP and what factors
affect the way that it works
- It works better IF
- More than one person holds the same expectation
- When those expecting someone to behave in a
certain way, and those behaving are not familiar
to each other. - The expected behaviour is not far different from
the individuals normal behaviour. - The expectation is negative
- It does not work IF
- The person with the expected behaviour of the
individual is of low power.
14Apply (be specific)How SFP may be apply to
explanations of criminal behaviour?
- When observers expect anti-social behaviour, they
- confirm expectations and seek confirmation in
behaviour. - The observed will then behave in anti-social ways
due to the encouragement provided for it, their
negative self-belief (that they are not capable
of better behaviour). - The pressure to conform to expectations, and the
feeling that any pro-social behaviour is ignored
means any effort to change is pointless.
15Evaluation
16Exam question
- Discuss how far SFP can be used as an explanation
of anti Social behaviour. - (8 marks)
- 3. Discuss how SFP may account for some
instances of crime. (8 marks)